Movable container with telescoping drawer



Dec. 9, 1952 P. J. FORD ETAL MOVABLE CONTAINER WITH TELESCOPING DRAWERFiled Dec.

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iaiented Dec. 9, 1952 UNITED STA'iIES 'ii QFFIUE MOVABLE CONTAINERWITH'TELESCOPIN G DRAWER Application December 27, 1948, Serial'No.67,296

12 Claims.

The invention relates to a movable container with a telescoping draweradapted to hold various articles or to serve as an ash tray or the like,and has been particularly applied to a miniature truck.

One object of the invention is to provide a movable container with atelescoping drawer for concealing articles such as cigarettes whenclosed, and outwardly movable to expose the articles for use or to serveas an ash tray or the like.

Another object is to provide a novel means of operation of a receptaclein a movable container whereby the receptacle may be opened or closed bymovement of the container upon a surface such as a table top.

Another object is to provide a receptacle drawer in a container like aminiature truck from which articles placed therein can be readilyremoved.

A further object is to provide a telescoping receptacle drawer in acontainer like a miniature truck wherein the weight of the drawer whenmoved outwardly of the container is counterbalanced to prevent tiltingof the container.

A further object is to provide a miniature model vehicle which is aduplication of a road vehicle and serves a useful purpose as a containerand toy as well as being a work of art.

These and other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter inconnection with the following description of an embodiment of theinvention illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a miniature truck illustratingthe invention, with parts broken away and sectioned;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the drawer therein in extendedposition;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the truck in the positionof Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1 with the top of thevehicle broken away;

Fig. 6 is a detail section taken on line E5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is a detail section taken on line 1'l of Fig. 2.

Although the invention can be applied to numerous types of containers,for purposes of i1- lustration the invention is shown as applied to adelivery truck which is a duplication in miniature of a road sizevehicle.

In general the truck comprises body section 5 having a curved top whichslopes gradually downwardly at the forward end to merge into the cab ofthe truck sloping down to front bumper '2. The rear of body I is openfor access to the inside and the body of the truck on the sides of theopening extends downwardly on a slight slant to the rear bumper t. Thecab portion of body l is provided with suitably shaped openings andmarkings on the sides and front to simulate the side windows and doorsof the truck and the windshield. Likewise, suitable markings on thefront of body I simulate the engine hood and headlights of a road sizetruck.

Body 5 of the truck is closed underneath by floor 4 which asparticularly shown in Fig. 6 has an irregular contour comprisinglongitudinally extending side ledges -5 offset upwardly from the base ofthe floor and having upstanding flanges 6 for securing the floor tothe'body of the truck and reinforcing the same.

The truck is supported on serrated rubber tired wheels l which aresecured to the front and rear axles 8. The front axle extends throughsuitable side bearing portions in the sides of the floor and over thebase of the floor 4. Both floor i and body I are formed to permit thewheels to be inset within the body of the truck. The front axle is freeto rotate when the front wheels of the truck are rotated.

The rear axle extends through bearing portions 9 on each side of floor 4and thence over the base of the floor formed at this location tosimulate the diiferential Iii-of a truck. The rear axle is free torotate when the rear wheels r0.- tate. Longitudinal slots II areprovided in floor 4 between each bearing portion 9 and differential itto impart flexibility to that portion of the floor supporting the rearaxle, the use of which will be described hereinafter.

The body of the truck is formed to the general curvature of the rearwheels to permit the rear wheels to be .inset therein in line with thefront wheels. Ledges 5 and floor '4 terminate at the forward and rearside of each rear wheel so that each rear wheel is inset within itsrespective ledge 5. Horizontal projections I2 extend .from the upperportion of each flange 6 of the floor over the rear wheels a shortdistance and are spaced upwardly from each wheel to provide a slot I3between each rear wheel and the corresponding projection :2. The face ofeach flange 6 at the approach to the rear of the rear wheels turnsinwardly to provide thereof the stops It, the use of which will bedescribed hereinafter.

The drawer I5 provided as the receptacle for the truck has a bottom andfour side walls providing an open top for easy access to the inside ofthe drawer to remove the contents. The rear wall I6 simulates the backof the truck, and is of a size to close the opening in the rear of thebody of the truck when drawer I is shifted to position the drawer insidethe truck body.

Rails or prongs I! are formed integrally with the bottom of the drawerand project forwardly from drawer I5 a substantial distance. The lengthof the rails and drawer is such that the drawer will fit completelyinside the truck.

When drawer I5 is assembled inside the truck rails I! pass through slotsI3 formed between the rear wheels and projections I2. Rails I! are of athickness greater than the cross-section of slots I3 so that when therails are forced through the slots, the rear wheels and axle are forcedaway from the body of the truck either by the body tending to moveupwardly or the rear axle and wheels downwardly. This movement ispermitted due to slots II in floor 4. As a result the rubber tired rearwheels are pre-loaded into substantial frictional engagement with railsII. The surface of rails I'I engaging the rear tires of the truck istapered and the frictional engagement of the rear tires and rails isincreased by serrations on the tapered surface of the rails and thematching serrations on the rubber tires.

Lugs I8 are provided on the side of each rail toward the forward endthereof. Lugs I8 engage stops I4 of flange 6 when drawer I5 is slippedinto the truck in assembly, the lugs and stops being taperedcomplementarily to permit the lugs to slide over the face of each stopI4, as the rails spring inwardly. Once lugs I8 are over stops I4 railsI1 spring outwardly to normal position with the result that when drawerI5 is moved outwardly lugs I8 engage the forward side of stops I4 tolimit the rearward movement of the drawer.

In operation, after drawer I5 is assembled with the truck, opening ofdrawer I5 is obtained by pressing lightly downwardly on the truck andmoving the same rearwardly, thereby rotating the rear wheels inengagement with rails I! in a direction to drive the rails to the rearof the truck and open the drawer rearwardly. Rails I! move through slotsI3 until lugs I8 engage stops I4. Drawer I5 then has moved to a positionsubstantially completely out of the rear of the truck.

Closing of the drawer is obtained by a similar movement of the truckforwardly to rotate the rear wheels in engagement with rails I! in aforward direction which moves the drawer forwardly to a closed position.Rails I! are driven forwardly through slots I3 under the driving forceof the tires of the wheels until the forward ends of the rails engagethe front wall of the truck to conceal the drawer inside the truck withits back I6 closing the rear opening of the truck.

Drawer I5 is of a width to clear projections I2 when advanced into thetruck. The drawer is removable from the truck by springing rails I'Iinwardly to clear lugs I8 over stops I4 should it become desirable tocompletely remove the drawer from the truck.

The weight I9 is secured inside the forward end of the truck tocounterbalance the weight of drawer I5 and its contents when the draweris moved rearwardly to prevent the truck from tipping upwardly in front.

The truck and drawer are molded from a suitable thermosetting plastic ofsufficient strength and thickness to stand up in service.

,The invention is applicable to many different types and shapes oftrucks or other vehicles 4 formed as a duplication in miniature of roadsize vehicles.

While the invention has been shown as applied to a vehicle, differentshaped containers for the drawer may also be constructed to embody theinvention.

The invention provides a novel receptacle in a container such as aminiature truck which may be utilized for numerous different retainingpurposes.

Various embodiments of the invention may be employed within the scope ofthe accompanying claims.

We claim:

1. A manually portable container movable over a supporting surface, areceptacle telescoping within said container, and means to drive saidreceptacle inwardly and outwardly of said container in response tomovement of the container in opposite directions over the surface uponwhich the same is supported.

2. A manually portable container movable over a supporting surface, areceptacle telescoping within said container and having a forwardlyextending member, a wheel resiliently supported on the container withrespect to the body thereof and adapted to engage the surface supportingsaid container, and said member being disposed between said wheel andcontainer body and of a cross-section to separate the wheel and body toeffect pre-loading engagement with said wheel for moving of saidreceptacle inwardly and outwardly of the container in response tomovement of the container upon said wheel in opposite directions overthe supporting surface.

3. A manually portable container movable over a supporting surface, areceptacle telescoping within said container and having an inwardlyextending member, a wheel resiliently supported on the container withrespect to the body thereof and adapted to engage the surface supportingsaid container for supporting the container thereon, and said memberbeing disposed between said wheel and container body and of acrosssection to separate the wheel and body to effect pre-loadingengagement with said wheel for moving of said receptacle inwardly andoutwardly of the container in response to movement of the container uponsaid wheel in opposite directions over the supporting surface, and aweight secured within the container to counterbalance the weight of thereceptacle and the contents thereof upon outward movement of thereceptacle to prevent tilting of the container upon said wheel.

4. A container having front and rear wheels for movement over asupporting surface, means for resiliently supporting the rear wheelsfrom the body of said container, a receptacle drawer telescoping withinsaid container and having projecting members disposed between said rearwheels and container body and of a cross-section to spring the body andrear wheels apart to effect pre-loading engagement of the members withsaid wheels for moving said receptacle drawer inwardly and outwardly ofthe container upon movement of the container on the wheels thereof inopposite directions over the supporting surface.

5. A container having front and rear wheels for movement over asupporting surface, means disposed to resiliently support the rearwheels from the body of said container, a receptacle drawer telescopingwithin said container and having projecting members disposed betweensaid rear wheels and container body and of a crosssection to spring thebody and rear wheels apart to effect pro-loading engagement of themembers with said wheels for moving said receptacle drawer inwardly andoutwardly of the rear end of the container upon movement of thecontainer on the wheels thereof in opposite directions over thesupporting surface, and a weight secured within the container at theopposite end from said drawer to counterbalance the weight of the drawerand the contents thereof upon outward movement of the drawer to preventtilting of the container upon said rear wheels.

6. A miniature vehicle having front and rear wheels for movement over asupporting surface, means for resiliently supporting the rear wheelsfrom the body of vehicle, a receptacle drawer telescoping within saidvehicle and having a pair of projecting prongs disposed between saidrear wheels and vehicle body and of a cross-section to spring th bodyand rear wheels apart to effect pie-loading engagement of the prongswith said wheels for moving said receptacle drawer inwardly andoutwardly of the vehicle upon movement of the vehicle on the wheelsthereof in opposite directions over a supporting surface.

7. A miniature vehicle having rubber tired wheels for movement over asupporting surface, means for resiliently supporting the rear wheelsfrom the body of said vehicle, a receptacle drawer telescoping withinsaid vehicle and having a pair of forwardly projecting prongs disposedbetween said rear wheels and vehicle body and of a crosssection tospring the body and rear Wheels apart to effect pre-loading engagementwith said wheels for moving said receptacle drawer inwardly andoutwardly of the rear of the vehicle upon movement of the vehicle on thewheels thereof in a corresponding direction over a supporting surface,and matching serrations in the rear tires and respective prongs toincrease the frictional engagement thereof.

8. A miniature vehicle having wheels for movement over a supportingsurface, means for resiliently supporting the rear wheels from the bodyof said vehicle, a receptacle drawer telescoping within said vehicle andhaving a, pair of forwardly projecting prongs disposed between said rearwheels and vehicle body and of a crosssection to spring the body andrear wheels apart to effect pro-loading engagement of the prongs withsaid wheels for moving said receptacle drawer inwardly and outwardly ofthe vehicle upon movement of the vehicle on the wheels thereof in acorresponding direction over a supporting surface, and stops to limitthe forward and rearward movement of said drawer.

9. A miniature vehicle having wheels for move ment over a supportingsurface, a slotted floor for resiliently supporting the rear wheels fromthe body of said vehicle, a receptacle drawer telescoping within saidvehicle and having a pair of forwardly projecting prongs disposedbetween said rear wheels and vehicle body and of a crosssection tospring the body and rear wheels apart to effect pro-loading engagementof the prongs with said wheels for moving said receptacle drawerinwardly and outwardly of the vehicle upon movement of the vehicle onthe wheels thereof in a corresponding direction over a supportingsurface.

10. A miniature vehicle having Wheels for movement over a supportingsurface, means for resiliently supporting the rear wheels from the bodyof said vehicle, a receptacle drawer telescoping within said vehicle andhaving a pair of forwardly projecting prongs disposed between said rearwheels and vehicle body and of a crosssection to spring the body andrear wheels apart to effect pro-loading engagement of the prongs withsaid wheels for moving said receptacle drawer inwardly and outwardly ofthe vehicle upon movement of the vehicle on the wheels thereof in acorresponding direction over a supporting surface, lugs projectin fromthe sides of said prongs toward the forward ends thereof, and inwardlyturned members extending from said body over which said lugs ride uponthe assembly of the drawer inside said vehicle and serving as stopsengaged by said lugs to limit the rearward movement of the drawer.

11. A container having wheels for movement over a supporting surface,means for resiliently supporting one pair of wheels from the body ofsaid container, a movable receptacle drawer fitting within saidcontainer, projections extending from the body of the container oversaid resiliently supported wheels and spaced therefrom to provide slotstherebetween, means projecting from said drawer and extending throughsaid slots and of a vertical thickness greater than the slots to springthe body and wheels apart to effect pro-loading engagement of theprojection means with the wheels for moving the receptacle drawerinwardly and outwardly of the container upon movement of the containeron the wheels thereof in a corresponding direction over a supportingsurface.

12. A vehicle having wheels for movement over a supporting surface,means for resiliently supporting one pair of wheels from the body ofsaid vehicle, a movable receptacle drawer fitting within said vehicle,projections extending from the body of the vehicle over said resilientlysupported wheels and spaced therefrom to provide slots therebetween,means projecting from said drawer and extending through said slots andof a vertical thickness greater than the slots to spring the body andwheels apart to effect pro-loading engagement of the projection meanswith the wheels for moving the receptacle drawer inwardly and outwardlyof the vehicle upon movement of the vehicle on the wheels thereof in acorresponding direction over a supporting surface, and said drawerhaving a back to close the body of the vehicle to thereby conceal thedrawer and its contents therein and being open centrally of its sidesfor ready removal of the contents thereof.

PAUL J. FORD. WILLIAM E. FORD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,385,811 Bodenstein July 26,1921 1,910,208 Gronberg et a1 May 23, 1933 1,981,248 Pipe Nov. 20, 19342,201,148 Berger May 21, 1940 2,401,937 Kingson June 11, 1946 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 504,459 France July 6, 1920 579,619 FranceOct. 20, 1924

